The present invention relates to a lens and reflector for use with a light-emitting device such as a lamp or lantern. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cone-like or funnel shaped lens and a curved reflector for reflecting and distributing light to illuminate surrounding areas.
Reflectors are commonly used with light emitting devices in an attempt to reflect and focus light into a desired direction. This provides an energy efficient means to provide brighter light when illuminating surrounding areas.
While reflectors have proven useful in flashlights or automobile headlights, for example, reflectors are not effectively used in lanterns. Most lanterns support a light source in an area that has transparent sides to allow the light to be emitted to the surrounding area. However, in most instances, the top and bottom surfaces of the enclosed areas are opaque and absorb a majority of the light that reaches these surfaces. Thus, the amount of light illuminating the surrounding area is significantly reduced. As a result, if users desire brighter illumination, a higher wattage is required and more energy is consumed. This is undesirable especially when the lantern is powered by solar energy. In order to prevent the light from being absorbed, various designs have been devised, including using a highly reflective material to cover the top and bottom surfaces of the lantern enclosed area. This has proven inefficient because the light is not reflected in the desired direction. In most cases, light is reflected either directly up or down and not outward, where the light is most needed. There is a need to efficiently distribute light by using a specially shaped lens and reflector for use with a lantern.
The present invention relates to a reflector device for use with a lantern. The reflector includes a cone-like or funnel-shaped lens having a top section to receive a light emitting device and a bottom section to receive a curved reflector. The lens and reflector are supported and held together by a base structure.
The light-emitting device emits light into and through the lens thickness. Light propagates through the lens and is diffused to illuminate surrounding areas. The inner and outer surfaces of the reflector contain ridges to form surface irregularities to evenly disperse the light as it passes through the lens.
The lens bottom section includes a hollow interior configured to receive a curved/parabolic shaped cone-like reflector. By inserting the curved reflector in the lens bottom section, light that would ordinarily be absorbed by the base portion can be deflected outward from the lantern to illuminate surrounding areas. This configuration provides an efficient way to reflect and use the emitted light that would ordinarily be absorbed by the base structure.
The reflector device can be mounted on a lantern, lamp or any other device where it is desired to reflect light. The lens is fabricated from a transparent or translucent glass or plastic material capable of transmitting light. The curved reflector is most preferably fabricated from a highly reflective metallic material or a plastic plated with a reflective surface.